Life

      So, we are coming upon the end of our first year of our new homeschooling adventure.  This has been such a learning experience for all of us. The kids have had to learn how to be at school while at home and I have had to relearn how to be with my kids all day every day.  Add to that being in a new place thousands of miles from family and you have our last 8 months.  All in all it has been great. We have learned so many many things about being a family....together.
       Hawaii is AMAZING. I can not even express how much we love it here.  We love the weather. Who wouldn't love spring year around?  We love the scenery.  I have seen so many amazing places since we arrived.  We love the people.  The people here are so welcoming and I truly admire their sense of family and community.  The only thing I can think of that we don't love is being so far from our families.
      Homeschooling has been such a great experience for us. There have been some really rough days when I have felt like there was no way I could keep doing this or that I was scarring my kids for life.  However, most days have been a time of learning for both the kids and I.  It has been eye opening in regards to how I now see our public education system. I have always felt that my kids received a good education and were at good schools. Also, I held tight to the old standby, "I went to public school and I am just fine". Now I see things a bit differently.  While I still think my kids went to good schools I have also realized that one teacher can never teach 28 kids as thoroughly as I can teach three. I know my kids and their strengths and weaknesses much better than any teacher could no matter how good they are.  I also don't have to teach to a prescribed standard. I can teach them what I think they should learn (within reason) and let them dwell in the areas they love (within reason).  I am also seeing the gaps left in being taught within the confines of a test for so many years.  Will we homeschool (I prefer home educate) all the way through high school?  I don't know.  I do know that I plan to make the best of these years I have left to teach and learn with my kids.
       Next up in the chaos of my life is making decisions concerning next year.  What curriculum? What supplies? What records?  What field trips? Decisions, Decisions, Decisions.